Conventional fluorescent high bay lighting fixtures for retail and industrial applications are often mounted or suspended from ceiling joists high above the floor. The ballast assembly adjacent to first and second reflectors is only accessible from the top of the lighting fixture. There are often problems for installers and regular users who need to access the ballast assembly when a ballast needs repair or replacing. The entire high bay lighting fixture must be removed from the suspension mechanism to replace one or a plurality of ballasts, and often the lamps and reflectors must be removed.
One of the problems with existing high bay lighting fixtures is the height to which they are suspended from the ceiling and their sheer size that makes disassembly difficult. Subsequent to removing the lighting fixture from its mounting or ceiling suspension, the ballast can be replaced or repaired when the ballast channel cover is detached. However, this is a time consuming, dangerous, and labor intensive process conducted high above the floor.
Accordingly, a need exists for a room side accessible ballast assembly with a downwardly facing ballast channel.